Giants starter Ryan Vogelsong injures his back while lifting

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — San Francisco Giants right-hander Ryan Vogelsong strained his back earlier this month while lifting weights and said Sunday he will miss at least the first 10 days of spring training workouts while he recovers.

The pitcher realizes it’s worth being cautious at this stage so that he’s healthy for the long haul.

“It’s not too bad but we want to make sure we’re cautious,” Vogelsong said before Giants pitchers and catchers went through their first workout at Scottsdale Stadium. “I’d say probably, cautious side, 10 days maybe just to make sure I’m feeling good and don’t go out there and try to throw and tweak it again and come back in here. We’re just going to go really conservative right now.”

Vogelsong, who became an unlikely All-Star last year in a comeback season, said he was squatting on a balance ball with 70-pound dumbbells — weights he had used all winter — on Feb. 7 when he got hurt.

“Just a regular workout, trying to do a little bit too much weight wise,” he said. “Right now, we want to make sure I’m 100 percent ready to go before I go out there and try to start throwing and running around again.”

Manager Bruce Bochy said the Giants might hold Vogelsong out for two weeks. He underwent an MRI exam.

Last month, Vogelsong received an $8.3 million, two-year contract to give him some job security. The 34-year-old Vogelsong set a career high for wins last season while going 13-7 with a 2.71 ERA in 30 games and 28 starts.

At this stage, the Giants believe Vogelsong will bounce back in plenty of time to be ready for opening day. Eric Surkamp will be preparing as a starter, so there is insurance.

“He in such good shape anyway,” general manager Brian Sabean said of Vogelsong. “He was ahead of schedule.”

All-Star closer Brian Wilson, who didn’t pitch down the stretch last season because of an elbow injury, is eager to get going — and he’s set to throw another bullpen Monday. He isn’t expected in games until the second week.

Wilson spoke little about the injury late in 2011, when the Giants failed to reach the playoffs after winning the World Series a year earlier.

“Maybe other people were frustrated but I certainly wasn’t frustrated. It’s nothing I could have controlled. I’m never going to be frustrated with anything,” Wilson said Sunday. “I don’t ask for days off. I don’t complain about anything. I don’t ask for a timeout for a breather. I ask to throw the ball, get three outs. I can do that until I die.”

Wilson — the majors saves leader in 2010 with 48 — went 6-4 with a 3.11 ERA and 36 saves in 57 outings last year.

“I feel great. I felt good the whole time, it’s just I was just limited back then,” he said. “I would have thrown but I was told I couldn’t throw. I think anybody who takes six months off, it’s good. It gave it enough time to heal. Ready to rock.”